Category Archives: Game Consoles

There’s an air of recognisability in this week’s charts, as Call of Duty: Ghosts and FIFA 14 retain their first and second place along with Battlefield 4 in third. Gran Turismo 6 has entered the charts at number on its debut, which will prove deeply disappointing for developers.

1 (1) – Call Of Duty: Ghosts

Buy it for the multiplayer and you should find that the scant few new features will appeal, and the short single player campaign will not disappoint too much. Will gamers ever become disenchanted with the series for producing what is basically the same game over and over again? Continue reading →

Piixl is one of the latest companies to announce that they will be launching a SteamOS powered gaming device. This one differs from the pack because it fixes to the back of the TV rather than having to sit under it.

The Steam Machine is a gaming device that is more akin to a desktop computer than a games console, and for a number of reasons. It has interchangeable hardware, and SteamOS has said that it will be inviting companies to create customised versions for release and sale to their customers. UK based Piixl has announced that they will be launching a version of the Steam Machine that is a little different to other proposed models.

Not everybody wants their game console on display, and would rather secrete it somewhere a little more subtle than on the living room table or under the TV. For those with wall mounted TVs, the problem of finding the ideal location for the games machine can prove even more difficult. Continue reading →

Call of Duty: Ghosts has taken the top of the charts position back from FIFA 14, which slipped into 2nd place this week, following the release of the Sony Playstation 4. Battlefield 4 held its position at number 3 while new entry and PS4 exclusive Killzone: Shadow Fall went in at number 4. Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag rounds off the top 5.

1 (2) – Call of Duty: Ghosts

Call of Duty: Ghosts was always going to be knocking on the door at the top of the charts, despite offering very little in the way of new features for the franchise. It has a reasonable single player Continue reading →

Sony’s Playstation 4 sold 250,000 units in just 48 hours, making it the biggest console launch ever, outstripping the Xbox One by a massive 100,000 sales.

The next generation console wars are well under way, and going by UK figures alone, it would seem that Sony has the battle all wrapped up with its Playstation 4. The device was launched last Friday, a week later than the Xbox One. Within 48 hours it had sold a staggering 250,000 consoles. This means that it outsold the previous best performer, the PSP, and took a massive leap ahead of Microsoft’s 150,000 sales of their Xbox One console.

The Xbox One’s 150,000 and Sony PS4’s 250,000 sales mean that both systems have already outsold the Wii U, which has been on sale for more than a year. Continue reading →

The Sony Playstation 4 has gone on sale in the UK. It’s cheaper than the Xbox One, more powerful, and designed primarily for gamers. Will it be enough to take the console crown back from Microsoft?

Sony effectively messed up the last generation of console wars. Although they had enjoyed considerable success with the Playstation 2, they released the PS3 a year after the Xbox 360, and although the system was arguably better, they had too much ground to make up. The PS3 offered free online gaming, but no cross game chat. It was also a lot more expensive than the Xbox 360. Have they put things right with the new PS4?

One big difference between the way that the two devices were marketed was that Sony shifted the PS3 as an all-in-one device that combined console gaming with multimedia entertainment. Continue reading →

iBuyPower has released details of the specifications for its Steam Machine, that they believe will launch in 2014. It has impressive specs and a good design, but a hefty price tag equivalent to about £300.

The next generation console wars will be well under way tomorrow, when the PS4 launches in the UK. While the devices have fairly similar specifications, they are being pitched and marketed slightly differently, and game publishers have said that the Xbox One doesn’t offer the same level of graphics as the PS4. They will cost between £350 and £450, depending on the model you choose, and unless you have already pre-ordered you will probably have to wait until after Christmas to get your hands on one, or pay £600 or more on eBay. Continue reading →